Operating mechanism for sewing machine controllers



Sept. 13, 1960 w. HOFGESANG 2,952,164 OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINE CONTROLLERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1959 INVENTOR. William Hofgesang BY la nome) WITNESS Sept. 13, 1960 w. HOFGESANG 2,952,164

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINE CONTROLLERS Filed July 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. William Hofgesang WITNESS WWW TTORNEY United States Patent ice Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 13, 1959, Ser. No. 826,702

Claims. (Cl. 74-515) This invention relates to mechanisms for controlling the operation of a sewing machine, and more particularly relates to a mechanism of this type adapted to be engaged by the knee of an operator.

Mechanisms of this general class have been used for many years, and one such mechanism is disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,055,433, issued September 22, 1936. However, mechanisms heretofore used have not always been entirely satisfactory and therefore one of the objects of the present invention is tov provide an improved device of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for adjustably connecting a knee engageable lever carrying slide to the swinging lever of an operating mechanism for sewing machine controllers.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art,

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred operating mechanism embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a second preferred operating, mechanism embodying the present invention,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective View of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figs. 3, 4 and, 5.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the invention is shown as comprising an L-shaped plate 16 having an upright limb 17 and a horizontal outwardly extending limb18. The upright limb 17 is provided with a plurality of holes 19 adapted to accommodate screws or other fastening means (not shown) by which the operating mechanism may be secured to a sewing machine cabinet (not shown) in much the same way as is shown in Patent No. 2,055,433, supra. The upper end of the upright limb 17 is offset, as at 21, and thereby provides an upper end 22 which extends forwardly of the main portion of the upright limb 17. The end 22 is provided with a hole 20 which accommodates a pivot stud 23.

The horizontal limb 18 of the L-shaped plate 16 has an elongated slot 24, the purpose of which will presently appear. The horizontal limb 18 carries a pivot pin 26 which pivotally mounts a controller engaging lever 27, the. lever 27 being located below and parallel to the lower surface of the horizontal limb 18. A swinging lever'28 has its upper end pivotally mounted on the stud 23 and 2,952,164 Patented Sept. 13, 1960 is provided with a forwardly extending offset portion 29. The offset portions 21 and 29 position the lower end of the swinging lever 28 in such a way that it enters the previously mentioned slot 24 and extends therethrough and below the lower surface of the horizontal limb 18. The controller engaging lever 27 is biased to engage one edge of the lower end of the swinging lever 28 as 1t protrudes below the limb 18. This biasing of the controller engaging lever 27 is accomplished by means of a coiled tension spring 31. One end of the spring 31 is attached to the free end of the lever 27 and the other end of the spring 31 is attached to a hook 32 formed on the front edge of the limb 18.

The swinging lever 28 at a location between the offset port-ion 29 and where it enters the slot 24, is provided with a plurality, in this case four, struck-out lugs 33. Two of the lugs 33 are at the top of the swinging lever 28 and two of the lugs 33 are at the bottom of the same lever. The swinging lever 28 is also provided with a threaded hole 30 through which is threaded the thumb screw 34. The shank portion of the thumb screw 34, in addition to being threaded into the swinging lever 28, extends through an elongated slot 36 extending longitudinally of a flat slide 37 The slide 37 is maintained in a position normal to the lower end of the swinging lever 28 by reason of two of the lugs 33 being positioned at the top of the slide 37 and two other of the lugs 33 being positioned at the bottom of the slide 37. The right end (Fig. 1) of the slide 37 is provided with a downwardly extending arm 38 and a knee engageable lever 39 is pivotally attached to the arm 38 by means of a screw 41 and a spring compression washer 42. The arm 38 is also formed with an outwardly extending stop lug 43.

The free end of the controller engaging lever 27 is provided with a pad 44 adapted to engage the front end of a pedal slide or push button 46 of a controller indicated generally by dash-dot lines and the numeral 47. The controller 47 may be similar to the controller shown in United States Patent No. 2,065,428, issued December 22, 193 6.

In operation, the above described mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2 functions as follows. When the L-shaped plate 16 is secured to the inside face of one rail of a sewing machine cabinet (not shown) and the controller 47 is secured to the inside face of another rail position at right angles to the first named rail, the pad 44 will almost engage the push button 461. When pressure is not applied to the knee engageable lever 39, the spring 31 will move the controller engaging lever 27 to a position such that the pedal slide or push button 46 will be entirely extended from the controller 47 and in this condition the sewingmachine motor (not shown), under the control of the controller 47 will not operate. If it is desired to operate the sewing machine motor, the operator places her knee against the lever 39 and moves the swinging lever 28 about the stud 23 in a clockwise direction. This causes the lower end of the swinging lever 28, which engages the controller engaging lever 27, to move the said lever 27 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 26. This depresses the pedal slide or push button 46 and speeds up the sewing machine motor. The flat slide 37 and thus the knee engageable lever 39 can be adjusted with respect to the swinging lever 28 by loosening the thumb screw 34 and moving the slide 37 with respect to the lever 28. When the lever 39 is in a position convenient to the operator of the sewing machine, the thumb screw 34 is tightened, thereby securing the slide 37 to the lever 28.

The operating mechanism illustrated in Figs. 3 through 6 is, in many ways, similar to the operating mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the mechanism of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 comprises an L-shaped plate 116 having an upright limb 117 and a horizontal outwardly extending limb 118. The upright limb 117 is provided with a plurality of holes 119 adapted to accommodate fastening means (not shown) by which the operating mechanism may be attached to a sewing machine cabinet (not shown). The upper end of the upright limb 117 is oflset, as at 121, and thereby provides an upper end 122 which extends forwardly of the main portion of the upright limb 117. The end 122 is provided with a hole 126 which accommodates a pivot stud 123. The horizontal limb 118 has an elongated slot 124, and the horizontal limb 118 carries a pivot pin 126 which pivotally mounts an L- shaped controller engaging lever 127, the lever 127 being located above and parallel to the upper surface of the limb 118. A swinging lever 128 has its upper end pivotally mounted on the stud 123-. The lower end of the swinging lever 128 has a forked terminal, the two tines of which define an opening 125 which is entered by the free end of one arm of the L-shaped lever 127. The controller engaging lever 127 is biased in a clockwise direction about the pin 126 by a coiled tension spring 131. One end of the spring 131 is attached to the lever 127 and the other end of the spring 131 is attached to a hook 132 formed on the horizontal limb 118.

The swinging lever 128, at a location between the stud 123 and where it enters the slot 124, is provided with a pair of struck out lugs 133-133, each lug having an aperture 135 adapted to receive a flat slide 137 Adjacent to one of its ends, the slide 137 is provided with a plurality of notches 13% adapted selectively to be entered by a tooth 134 (Figs. 4 and 6) formed as part of a spring latch 140 presently to be described. The left end (Fig. 3) of the slide 137 is provided with an arm 138 and a knee engageable lever 139 is pivotally attached to the arm 138 by a screw or rivet 141.

The free end of one of the arms of the controller engaging lever 127 is provided with a pad 144- adapted to engage the front end of a pedal slide or push button 146 of a controller indicated generally the dash-dot lines and the numeral 147.

The previously mentioned *latch 140, best seen in Fig. 6, is made from spring metal and has a base 151 one end of which is attached to the rear side of the swinging lever 128 by a screw 152. An arm 153 is formed normal to the base 151 and the arm 153 is provided with a rectangular aperture 154- into which extends the tooth 134, the tooth 134 being of a size easily accommodated by any one of the notches 130 in the slide 137. The width of the aperture 154 is slightly larger than the larger cross sectional dimension of the fiat side 137, and the size of the space from the top of the tooth 134 to the opposite edge of the aperture 154 is slightly larger than the smaller cross sectional dimension of the slide 137. The end of the arm 153 remote from the base 151 is formed with a finger button 157 which extends normal to the arm 153 and parallel to the base 151.

One edge of the upright limb 117 of the plate 116 has formed integral therewith one edge of a controller supporting slide way 161 which may be similar to the slide way illustrated in United States Patent No. 2,065,- 428, supra. Because the slide way 161 is a well known item, it appears sufficient to state that the slideway 161 receives and supports a controller similar to the controller 147.

In operation the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 3 through 6 functions as follows. When the L-shaped plate 116 and the slide way 161 are secured to the inside face of a rail of a sewing machine cabinet (not shown) the pad 144 will almost engage the push button 146. When pressure is not applied to the lever 139, the spring 131 will move the controller engaging lever 127 to a position such that the pedal slide or push button 146 will not allow the sewing machine (not shown) to operate. If the operator wishes to run the sewing machine (not shown) she places her knee against the lever 139 and moves the swinging lever 128 about the stud 123 in a clockwise direction. Then the swinging lever 128 turns the controller engaging lever 127 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 126. This depresses the push button 146 and speeds up the sewing machine motor (not shown). The flat slide 137, and thus the knee engageable lever 139, can be adjusted with respect to the swinging lever 128 by press-ing the button 157 which disengages the tooth 134 from a notch 130. This permits moving the flat slide 137 in the apertures 135 of the lugs 133. When the proper position is obtained, the button 157 is released and the tooth 134 re-enters one of the notches 130, thereby holding the flat slide 137 and the lever 139 in the proper position.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. An operating mechanism for a sewing machine controller, said operating mechanism comprising an L- shaped plate having an upright limb and an outwardly extending limb, the latter limb being formed with an elongated slot, a swinging lever pivotally connected to said upright limb and passing through said slot in said outwardly extending limb, a controller engaging lever pivotally connected to said outwardly extending limb, means for biasing said controller engaging lever in a predetermined direction, means on said controller engaging lever for biasing said swinging lever as said controller engaging lever is biased, a flat slide, means adjustably securing said flat slide to said swinging lever at a location above said outwardly extending limb, and a knee engageable lever carried by said fiat slide, whereby pressure on said knee engageable lever swings said swinging lever in such a manner as to cause said controller engageable lever to move against the means for biasing, thereby to operate said swinging machine controller.

2. An operating mechanism for a sewing machine controller, said operating mechanism comprising an L-shaped plate having an offset upright limb and an outwardly extending limb, the latter limb being formed with an elongated slot, an offset swinging lever pivotally connected to said upright limb and passing through said slot in said outwardly extending limb, a controller engaging lever located below and pivotally connected to said outwardly extending limb, spring means for biasing said controller engaging lever in a predetermined direction, an edge on said controller lever engaging and thereby biasing said swinging lever, a flat slide, means adjustably securing said flat slide to said swinging lever at a location above said outward extending limb, and a knee engageable lever carried by said flat slide, whereby pressure on said knee engageable lever swings said swinging lever in such a manner as to cause said controller engageable lever to move against the means for biasing, thereby to operate said sewing machine controller.

3. An operating mechanism for a sewing machine controller, said operating mechanism comprising an L-shaped plate having an upright limb and an outwardly extending limb, the latter limb being formed with an elongated slot, a swinging lever pivotally connected to said upright limb and passing through said slot in said outwardly extending limb, a plurality of lugs struck out from said swinging lever at a location above said outwardly extending limb, a controller engaging lever pivotally connected to said outwardly extending limb, means for biasing said controller engaging lever in a predetermined direction, means on said controiler engaging lever for biasing said swinging lever as said controller engaging lever is biased, a flat slide carried by said Swinging lever and engaging said struck out lugs,

means for adjusting the position of said fiat slide with respect to said swinging lever, and a knee engageable lever carried by said flat slide, whereby prmsure on said knee engageable lever swings said swinging lever in such a manner as to cause said controller engageable lever to move against the means for biasing, thereby to operate said sewing machine controller.

4. An operating mechanism for a sewing machine controller, said operating mechanism comprising an L-shaped plate having an upright limb and an outwardly extending limb, the latter limb being formed with an elongated slot, a swinging lever pivotally connected to said upright limb and passing through said slot in said outwardly extending limb, a plurality of apertured lugs struck out from said swinging lever, a controller engaging lever pivotally connected to said outwardly extending limb, means for biasing said controller engaging lever in a predetermined direction, means on said controller engaging lever for biasing said swinging lever as said controller engaging lever is biased, a flat slide provided with a plurality of notches and passing through the apertures in the lugs struck out from said swinging lever, a spring latch carried by said swinging lever and having a tongue movable into or out of the notches in said flat slide and thereby adjustably securing said flat slide to said swinging lever, and a knee engageable lever carried by said flat slide, whereby pressure on said knee engageable lever swings said swinging lever in such manner as to cause said controller engageable lever to move against the means for biasing, thereby to operate said sewing machine controller.

5. An operating mechanism for a sewing machine controller, said operating mechanism comprising a support having an upright limb and an outwardly extending limb, the latter limb being formed with an elongated opening, a swinging lever pivotally connected to said upright limb and entering said opening in said outwardly extending limb, a controller engaging lever pivotally connected to said outwardly extending limb, means for biasing said controller engaging lever in a predetermined direction, means on said controller engaging lever for biasing said swinging lever as said controller engaging lever is biased, a slide member, means adjustably securing said slide member to said swinging lever at a location above said outwardly extending limb, and a knee engageable lever carried by said slide member whereby pressure on said knee engageable lever swings said swinging lever in such a manner as to cause said controller engageable lever to move against its biasing means thereby to operate said sewing machine controller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,947,827 Chason Feb. 20, 1934 2,055,433 Goosman et al. Sept. 22, 1936 2,065,428 Chason Dec. 22, 1936 2,543,812 Sparklin Mar. 6, 1951 2,771,263 Boho Nov. 20, 1956 

